The hallowed halls of academia may have filled with a dizzying array of counter-culture fashion since the 1960s, but like its fellow fashion statement the corduroy jacket, the academic beard continues to hold fast to the faces of many an academic.

Karen Beard, Adjunct Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Biology, Utah State University

My areas of interest and teaching include conservation biology, invasion ecology, and linking species to ecosystems. Almost all of my research projects apply ecological theory to conservation or restoration ecology. Since coming to USU, most of my research has focused on invasive, non-native species. More specifically, my research has focused on (1) understanding non-native species from introduction to impact, and (2) developing techniques to manage and control non-natives. I also have a peripheral interest in disturbance ecology; more specifically, I have studied how disturbance influences native species and ecosystem processes, and how disturbance relates to non-native invasions.